Fix a Webcam Not Working with Skype

Why is my webcam not working with Skype?

Your webcam is not working with Skype because Skype cannot access the camera feed. The most common causes are that the camera is in use by another application, Skype's camera permission is blocked in the operating system, the wrong camera is selected inside Skype, or the camera hardware or driver is not available. The fix depends on which layer is failing, so start with the fastest, reversible checks first.

What explains this problem?

Skype does not read a webcam directly. It requests a video stream from the operating system, which checks app permissions and then hands the stream to the active camera device. If any step in that chain fails, Skype shows a black screen, a camera-off icon, or no video at all while the call itself continues to work.

Which check will narrow down the cause?

Run these checks in order. Each result points to the next layer to inspect. Do not skip a check because the symptom may have more than one cause.

• Physical and startup checks:
• Close other video apps: Zoom, Teams, FaceTime, Camera, or a browser tab may hold the camera open. A webcam normally feeds only one app at a time. A successful retest in Skype after closing them supports an app-conflict cause.
• Restart Skype: quit fully and reopen it. This releases a stale camera session inside Skype.
• Check a physical shutter or privacy switch: many laptop and external webcams have a sliding cover or switch. If the lens is blocked, Skype can still select the camera but will show only blackness.

• Operating system permission checks:
• Windows: open Settings, then Privacy & security, then Camera. Make sure "Camera access" is on and that Skype is allowed under "Let apps access your camera." A blocked setting here prevents Skype from seeing any camera.
• macOS: open System Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Camera. Toggle Skype on. The setting takes effect after you quit and reopen Skype.
• Android or iPhone: open the system Settings app, find Skype, then Permissions and allow Camera. The exact wording varies by device version.

• Input selection checks:
• Open Skype Settings, then Audio & Video on desktop or the video preview area on a mobile call.
• Confirm the expected camera is selected from the camera dropdown. If you have a built-in camera and an external one, Skype may have selected the wrong one or a virtual camera.
• Check the preview thumbnail. A live preview means Skype is receiving video. A black or frozen preview while another app shows a working camera points to a Skype-specific setting or permission.

• System detection checks:
• Windows: open Device Manager, expand Cameras, and look for your camera. A missing entry, a yellow warning mark, or an "Unknown device" listing means the operating system cannot load the camera driver.
• macOS: the camera appears in System Information under Hardware and Camera when detected. If it is absent there, the hardware is not visible to macOS.
• A webcam that is missing from the operating system cannot be tested inside Skype, and no Skype setting will fix that state.

What should I change, and how will I know it worked?

Apply a fix only when a check above points to that layer. After each change, make a test call to yourself or use the Skype video preview and check whether your own image appears.

• Reversible fixes to try first:
• Close other video apps and retest. If the camera returns, the cause was an app conflict.
• Open the camera privacy setting for your operating system and allow Skype, then quit and reopen Skype. If the preview now shows video, the cause was a blocked permission.
• Select the correct camera in Skype Settings under Audio & Video. If video appears, the cause was incorrect input selection.
• Disconnect and reconnect an external webcam, then retest. A successful retest after reconnection supports a loose or briefly dropped connection.

• Driver and reset actions for Windows only:
• If the camera shows a warning in Device Manager, right-click it, choose Uninstall device, then restart the PC. Windows reinstalls the driver. Retest in Skype afterward. A working camera after the restart means the previous driver state was faulty.
• If the camera entry is missing, select Action in Device Manager and then Scan for hardware changes. A newly visible camera can then be retested in Skype. This test only checks whether Windows sees the hardware; it does not prove the physical camera is sound.
• Resetting the camera app or the whole operating system is a later step. Reserve a full reset for after simpler checks have failed, because it removes local preferences and can be time-consuming to restore.

If the camera is still missing or black after permission, selection, app-conflict, reconnection, and driver checks, the next step is to test the camera in another program or on another computer. A failure there points to camera hardware rather than Skype settings. If the camera works elsewhere but not in Skype, contact Skype support with the evidence from these checks.